Meow

10% of which market? Clothes, food, homewares...

Sales have increased considerably in recent years and they have become quite good for basics. Well-priced T-shirts etc. Underwear ranges are quite good too. Doesn't every woman have some M&S undies?

Whatever makes you think no-one shops there? You are rather out of touch I'm afraid.

W10

Sales are rising that is true, because the management finally decided to make it relevant to the people.

But over a 10 year cycle, its market share is way, way, way down.

And as I said - my personal opinion (I went into M&S in High St Ken last month) is that the clothes are still awful, the food store is ok (with some things excellent) and the home stuff is just about passable.

It is NOT the stuff of legend. I will not get excited about M&S opening here. I doubt I will ever set foot in that store unless I happen to be next door. That is why I was wondering why it seems to have this feted air about it.

Are people that short of British brands here that they get excited about a middle of the road store which for years was propped up by its overseas stores while it lost millions back in the UK?

W10

Iconic British brands tend not to translate very well to this environment either (Harvey Nicks step blandly forward please)

How is their fresh food going to be any different to anything else on offer? How is their bakery going to offer something amazing?

Zannie

I went to check out their new store today and wasn't that impressed. Nice shopping area and lots of space, but there didn't seem to have much more stock than the other two M&S stores already here, just spaced out a lot more. The childrens range was OK, but very disappointed in the Food Court, nothing more than the usual suspects and a very overpriced sandwich bar. The bakery looked great though, but could stock more choices of bread.

shiva

M&S why the excitment?
Womans underwear, work shirts/ blouses and mens socks yeh ok I'll buy that...but the food, come on its overpriced junk in the UK and here its just ridiculous.
£5 plus for four frozen pieces of breaded fish???
Why?
just go buy some fresh fish and bread it yourself, cheaper, fresher, healthier and infinately tastier
Peppers flown 6000 miles cos there brightly coloured and the right shape??? local ones taste better and are fresher!
Jars of sauce that taste like crap for a couple of quid when you can buy the ingredients for pennies make it yourself and again it will taste better, be better for you and take no longer to cook.
A friend in the food industry once told me it cost them 17 pence to make a jar of pasta tomato sauce, why on earth would you spend several pounds to buy it???
WHY? o why are people so keen/obsessed by the M&S food court.....its a shitty tasting rip off. I can think of no single reason why people would shop in it here or the UK

Eeyore

There speaks Notting Hill Boy

W10

True - I do miss Speck in Holland Park, but there is a reason to miss it.

Carrefour's deli and fruit/veg is better than anything you'd get in M&S

W10

Of course, you can get them better made - and half the price in Satwa.

I also know someone in the UK who was one of the suppliers for Next and M&S suits...so I also know how much they wholesale at.

Austin Marley

So i guess your statement than Shiva you aren't that keen on M & S then

shiva

Granted, it is weird though how we have acess to cheap tailoring and very few people use it, myself included.

shiva

Not as such, I have just never understood the draw of a crappy food court and its religious following. Its a pet hate of mine.
Then again I am a food nazi so any kind of overpriced shite food winds me up. Its why i find most restaurants frustrating. I figure that if i can cook it better or source better produce and since im not a proffesional chef or food supplier, then whoever cooked or supplied the afore mentioned crap should be shot against the nearest available wall.

Whilst I'm ranting, I find the whole food court malarky very similar to people who shop in Spinneys and buy the imported veg at twice the price when its weeks old and tastes of nothing, when you can buy the locally grown fruit and veg which is superb.

juanjohnsilver

Just moved here and i am sad to say i miss M & S, the sarnies anyhow, yes i am a sad bastard too

IndieG

OK just returned from M&S - actually dropped in on our way back after some grocery shopping in HPanda.

The clothes are simply ghastly - karama type stuff but at four times the price. I'm in need of some smart office wear .......will have to try Zara tomorrow.

MataHari

lol...just came home from M&S myself....how boring can a shop be...

IndieG

Exactly - I was hoping they had some nice stuff. But the clothes looked really ancient. The car park was great though - brightly lit and EMPTY (now that is no wonder is it? )